FC Barcelona are reportedly eyeing an ambitious double swoop for Manchester City duo Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus this summer.
According to a report from SPORT, after sealing the deal for Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia, FC Barcelona are open to doing more business with Manchester City as they plot move for Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus.
It is believed that Gundogan has been identified as their desired alternative for Georginio Wijnaldum, who is set to join Paris Saint-Germain after snubbing Barcelona at the last minute.
Gabriel Jesus might not be a priority at the moment, but the Manchester City attacker will be considered if Barcelona manage to offload their unwanted stars like Philippe Coutinho, Sergi Roberto and even Ousmane Dembele this summer.
Even Ilaix Moriba has been a subject of transfer speculation this month, suggesting Joan Laporta is keen on undergoing an overhaul. Barcelona have especially struggled in midfield at times amid the gradual decline of Sergio Busquets while the addition of Miralem Pjanic has not helped a great deal.
It leaves Frenkie de Jong as the only viable long-term option for the club. The addition of someone like Gundogan, in that regard, could be a sensible move as the German international is well suited to Barcelona’s possession-based football thanks to his technical and tactical prowess in the middle of the park.
Gundogan will be an upgrade over Wijnaldum in many ways, especially given the improvement he has made in his offensive game over the past nine months, having emerged as one of the best players for Manchester City this past season.
As for Gabriel Jesus, it appears Barcelona are planning ahead for the future, knowing both Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero are in the final phases of their respective careers. With Dembele struggling, the Catalans do not have anyone who can emerge as a proper long-term replacement for either of them.
This is where the Manchester City attacker comes into the fray. The Brazilian is highly rated for his positioning, pace and dynamism in the final third. Although he is not a replacement for either Messi or Aguero, which was evident during his time at the Etihad, he certainly has what it takes to shine at Camp Nou and become an asset for Barcelona.
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Ronald Koeman, however, may not have the necessary funds to pull off a deal for Gabriel Jesus, who is expected to cost a fortune given his age. Gundogan, seems like a much more realistic option, although it remains to be seen whether Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will be all too keen on losing one of his key performers this past season to Barcelona.
